The Brand-New Rest Lounge
—Thud, thud, thud…! With heavy, half-asleep steps, I let my instincts guide me to this place. The Rest Lounge I knew should have been here—the old, worn-down single-story building that, at best, gave off a charming antique vibe.
“Th-this… is the Rest Lounge?”
But the building standing before me now was nothing like that. How did an entirely new structure appear overnight? A pristine two-story building with an elegant, timeless exterior rose imposingly in its place. They really built this in just two days? It wasn’t some stack of blocks, either. Did they use magic for construction in this world? Or was I so exhausted I was hallucinating?
—Rub, rub… Unable to believe my eyes, I approached the building and deliberately ran my hand along the wall. It’s real. How could they make the surface this smooth without heavy machinery? The stone felt cool and polished beneath my fingertips, slightly rough to the touch yet meticulously carved. The exterior was a clean, bright white, reminiscent of plaster, with corners adorned by columns that echoed the grandeur of a temple. From a distance, it almost looked like a miniature shrine—elegant and refined, the kind of space where noble young ladies might hold their social gatherings. In other words, it felt like the sort of place where a mere servant like me wouldn’t even be allowed to set foot.
At this point, didn’t they just tear down the old building and build a completely new one? That was exactly how it felt. The atmosphere was so different from the original Rest Lounge that it was almost jarring. Or perhaps they hadn’t renovated the lounge at all and had simply erected an entirely different structure.
“Did they put tinting on the windows or something?” Curious, I tried to peer inside, but the glass was completely opaque from the outside. One thing was certain: the construction was finished. There wasn’t a single worker in sight. My curiosity was killing me. There was only one way to find out—straight through the front door. No one would complain if I dropped by my own workplace, right?
—Creaaak…! I half-expected the door to be locked, but when I gently pulled the ornate handle carved in the shape of a small dragon, it swung open with surprising ease. I had only meant to check the general state of things. Given how impossibly fast the work had progressed, it was possible they’d only finished the exterior. Maybe the interior was still under construction. Taking a little longer to finish wouldn’t have been so bad. That would’ve meant more days off. I wouldn’t have minded two more days of rest. These past two days hadn’t felt like a vacation at all. If anything, they’d been busier than my usual routine.
“Whoa?”
But the inside was nothing like what I had anticipated. “Th-this is incredible!” A gasp of admiration escaped me. So much for the interior still being under construction—the space was already complete. And it was just as impressive as the exterior. My dream of extending my vacation had vanished, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel disappointed. Instead, my eyes widened as I took in the surroundings.
The scale and layout immediately stood out. Compared to before, it was like an entirely different world. An open kitchen sat at the center, surrounded by tables, while the back of the kitchen was lined with state-of-the-art equipment. There were tools for desserts and baking, of course, but also everything needed for full-scale cooking. I could probably whip up just about anything here. A building this sophisticated, and it’s really just a lounge? At this point, it’s basically a fine-dining restaurant.
After a full lap around the interior, I had to admit that “fine dining” suited it far better than “Rest Lounge.” Were they planning to serve proper meals in addition to tea and desserts? The facilities were so extravagant that the thought sent a chill down my spine. No way. If they did that, the actual cafeteria would lose its purpose. They wouldn’t go that far… right? I shook my head, trying to dismiss the ominous premonition. Still, the feeling wasn’t entirely unfounded. Even in the military, plenty of soldiers skipped the proper mess hall to grab frozen meals from the PX instead. If something like that happened here, I’d have no choice but to negotiate with Benetric using mint chocolate as leverage.
In any case, it wasn’t just the kitchen that had changed—the entire atmosphere of the lounge was different. The dull, faded wallpaper was gone, replaced by marble and chandeliers that bathed the space in light. The overall effect was bright and pristine, exuding an air of cleanliness and luxury.
“They really finished all this in two days? Is that even possible?” I muttered as I wandered through the space. I had expected a simple remodel, but this was closer to a complete overhaul. It reminded me of those old TV shows where they completely revamped a struggling shop overnight.
“Should I check out the second floor too?”
—Thud, thud…! Climbing the marble staircase, I found a spacious area bathed in natural light from large windows. The second floor is mostly just tables for now. Still, there are way more seats than before. No matter how long I looked, I couldn’t stop marveling. The Rest Lounge was brand new in every sense of the word. At this rate, they might even replace the staff. The dwarves’ craftsmanship was truly something else—almost like alchemy. They must have mobilized the entire supply department.
“Building an entire new structure in just two days…” If Johnson and the dwarves from the supply department ever stopped by, I’d have to treat them to something far better than bitter coffee.
—Clink, clack! “Oh… There’s a ton of kitchen equipment I’ve never seen before.”
Beyond the building itself, something else caught my eye. “Is this oven powered by magic stones? And this stove looks way better than the ones in the cafeteria.” The architecture and interior were impressive, but the cutting-edge kitchen tools were what truly made my eyes light up. They were on par with modern appliances. With facilities like these, I could create a much wider variety of desserts—and not just desserts, but full meals as well. Still, just how much of the budget did they pour into this? They were so stingy with expenses before…
Benetric’s influence must have played a big role. Satisfying her palate had clearly paid off. I hadn’t liked her overbearing attitude, but the power she wielded as the vice principal was undeniable. Even the small pots and ladles had been replaced with brand-new ones. I couldn’t complain about that. My gaze kept drifting back to the state-of-the-art equipment. It was hard to look away—like someone completely absorbed in electronics or computer parts.
“Hmm~♬” A cheerful hum escaped me. I had long since forgotten about my hunger; simply examining the new tools was enough to make me feel full. “Huh? Now that I think about it, is this the storage room?”
After inspecting nearly every facility, one last area caught my attention—a space tucked behind a pillar at the back of the kitchen. Peering inside, I spotted a massive iron door. —Creak…! When I pulled the handle, the heavy door swung open with a solid weight. A sudden chill rushed out. —Shiver…! Goosebumps prickled across my skin. It was the same kind of cold I had felt at the watchtower—cool, dry air. Beyond the door, rows of metal shelves stretched into the darkness. Whoa. Is this…?
Braving the cold, I stepped inside and found the shelves stocked with all kinds of ingredients. I was speechless. This was definitely a freezer. They must have enchanted the magic stones installed in the storage room with a chilling spell.
“Haha, this is starting to feel like a lot of pressure… They’re really giving me all this space to use by myself?” It almost made me nervous that they’d expect even more in return. No way. I had no intention of becoming some high-class slave. My goal was still to escape the academy. I’d have to strategically control the quality of my desserts. If I accidentally served anything rated five stars or higher, word would spread even faster and things would get complicated. I was already short on helping hands as it was—raising expectations would only make things worse. Still, at least I had two wraiths now. That should make things a bit easier going forward—
—Knock, knock, knock… “Huh? A knock?”
While I was looking around the storage room, a series of knocks echoed from outside. What now? Who could that be? Everyone knew today was supposed to be a day off. Or maybe they came looking for me because they knew I was here? It could be one of the girls I had shared a Dragon Heart with. Maybe they had sensed my presence and come to find me.
—Knock, knock, knock! While I was still wondering who it could be, the knocking came again, louder and more insistent this time. “The door’s open, so just come in…” Whoever it was, I supposed I should go greet them.